AI Insight
A study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that individuals with better cardiovascular health prior to the COVID-19 pandemic faced significantly lower risks of severe disease outcomes. Adults with the highest heart health scores were approximately 50% less likely to require hospitalization or die from COVID-19 compared to those with the lowest cardiovascular health scores. The research establishes a clear association between pre-existing heart health status and COVID-19 severity.
Why it matters
This finding highlights the importance of maintaining good cardiovascular health as a protective factor against severe infectious disease outcomes, not just chronic conditions. It suggests that public health interventions focusing on heart health could potentially reduce severe outcomes during future pandemics or infectious disease outbreaks.
Better heart health before the pandemic was linked to a lower risk of severe COVID-19 events, according to research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. Adults with the highest heart health scores at the beginning of the pandemic were nearly half as likely to be hospitalized or die from COVID-19 when compared to those with the lowest scores.
Source: Heart health affected the risk of severe COVID-19 infection during the pandemic, says study